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DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado’s COVID cases were trending opposite the nation’s as the omicron variant becomes more dominant both nationally and locally, but they have made a recent uptick.

The national 7-day average case rate has doubled in the United States over the last month, from 24 per 100,000 cases to 48.

In the same time frame, Colorado has seen its cases drop seven per day. Since Dec. 16, however, Colorado’s rates have gone up from 27 per 100,000 to 29 per day.

The uptick in COVID cases nationally coincides with the omicron variant’s spread. The omicron variant accounts for 73% of new cases nationwide, according to new data.

Colorado is seeing less of the new variant, but it is growing.

Before December, virtually all variant cases were of the delta type. In the week of Dec. 12, the omicron type accounted for 10% of Colorado’s variant cases.